Ballet de Flammes
by Queen-Of-DollZ
Summary: Lucy left the guild and Natsu is left thinking he'll never find her until a small nine year old named Lulu stumbles into Fairy Tail and calls him Papa. "My name is Lulu Heartifilia. I'm nine. I always knew I'd find you, Papa." (I do not own the picture)
1. Starless

The sun seemed to bear down on her as she continued her trek through the desert, gripping the reins tightly, holding back tears. _It's had been a month already_, Lucy scolded herself, _get over_ it. But she couldn't get over it. heartbreak was hard to get over. It was like recovering from some life altering wound, not easy. But, Lucy had made her decision. She had thrown in her lot and would stick to it until she decided it was done.

She had left Fairy Tail.

It wasn't like Lisanna wasn't nice to her. Lisanna was nice to everyone. And the guild was never outright cruel...but there was no room for her anymore. It was like, slowly but surely, Lisanna had taken her place in everything.

Her team.

Her friends.

Even, her relationship with Natsu.

They had finally come to terms with how they felt for each other when Lisanna came back and, then, it was like Lucy stopped existing. No longer was it 'hey, Luce'. It was 'hey, Lis' or something like that. Lucy had soon gotten tired of all the missed dates, the long waits, and the lonely nights.

Even Erza had neglected her, missing shopping trips, cutting her off to talk to Lisanna, and going off on missions without her.

And Gray, ph Gray, had his hands tied with Juvia and Lisanna that Lucy was soon left behind.

Levy barely even talked to her anymore.

Gajeel was never much of a conversationalist.

Wendy, being just a kid, usually ran around to play with Romeo or learn from older mages.

So, quietly, without anyone knowing, Lucy packed up and left. She never officially quit the guild, it would break her heart even more. But, she wouldn't be there. As the wagon bumped along, the horse she had rented pulling the load fervently, Lucy glanced down at her abdomen. After four months, it was obvious that Lucy was taking more with her than just her guild mark and her belongings.

Lucy was pregnant.

Loke, of course, was the first one to know and he freaked. He went on and on about finding Natsu and making him take responsibility for 'deflowering' his mistress. Aries squealed, then apologized for squealing. Aquarius was...shocked. Then declared how she would **not **change diapers. And Scorpio...wanted to ask Aquaruis for kids.

Lucy shuddered, remembering the look on Aquarius' face when she heard.

But, this pregnancy did not change Lucy's mind. She still packed up and left on her own, though Loke and Capricorn practically begged her to at least wait until after she gave birth.

As the wagon continued through the woods, Lucy found herself wondering how the guild was. She wondered if they had noticed her gone, though she doubted it. Knowing Natsu, as soon as he found that note waiting for them in her now abandoned home, he'd charge after her and stop her at all costs.

Lucy laughed quietly as she imagined what they'd all do.

Gray would freeze the wheels on her wagon.

Erza would apologize dramatically and ask for her to hit her head as payment.

Happy would bawl his eyes out, begging her to stay.

Then she felt like crying.

No one would come for her.


	2. Dancer

Lucy watched from behind the curtains as Lulu spun around expertly. Lulu was tiny, especially for a nine year old, with a slim form and big, doe brown eyes. Her strawberry blonde hair was done in a perfect up do and her long legs stretched into first position, than fifth, and then a plie...all very simple, until she began to dazzle the crowd with a grande jete, then a series of spins, an elegant allonge, and then an arabesque. Lulu spun softly, as her fellow dancers did their part to mimic and compliment her as she beckoned the audience with her hands to join her into this dream. She pranced with her class, jumping the highest, stretching her legs the farthest, and spinning the longest as the tiny prima ballerina told this show's story. Lucy daydreamed as she watched.

Was the story about a princess or something. She had forgotten as soon as her daughter started to dance. The music seemed to wrap around her, pulling her little girl around in a graceful rhythm.

Come this way, spin that way.

Following the stars, as she always said.

"Little Lulu is fabulous! Just a darling!" Lucy turned to Ms. Godiva, Lulu's dance instructor. She usually watched Lulu when Lucy went on jobs too dangerous for Lulu or when the job included days Lulu would be performing. "I cannot believe she is so delicate, not with that heinous fire magic in her." Lucy grimaced. Not surprisingly, Lulu had not inherited Lucy's celestial magic.

But, she had gotten Natsu's fire breathing tendencies. And, sadly, his motion sickness.

"Fire has a beauty all it's own, just like ballet. Lulu's perfect with it," Lucy hissed back. Ms. Godiva sighed.

"Yes, but think of all the things we could do if she had inherited your celestial magic. Oh, we would be able to take ballet to new heights!" Lucy hushed her. The only reason Ms. Godiva hadn't incorporated Lulu's fire was because of those darn fire safety laws. Lucy couldn't even imagine how wonderful it would be to see Lulu dance freely about her flames.

But, maybe it was for the best. After all, news traveled fast and Lucy wasn't sure she wanted it to reach Magnolia just yet. Lucy was shaken from her thoughts when thunderous applause pounded through the air. Roses were thrown onto the stage as people either cheered or clapped. As taught, Lulu held her final position, a strategically done attitude derriere, with a circle of dancers laying around her in resting positions. The curtains fell and she relaxed, giggling with the other girls as they hurried off stage. Lucy smiled, pushing her own hair back as Lulu hurried to her. "Mama, did you see me?" Lulu grinned at her, a smaller and slightly more subtle version of Natsu's smile.

"Of course, Sweetie, now hurry up. Or you'll miss the next curtain call," Lulu nodded and dashed to the dressing room to freshen herself up. Lucy didn't know she would soon be running after her.

* * *

><p>Lulu hurried through the stage, dodging different people as they tried to quickly assemble the ending scene. As a small as she was, Lulu was quick on her feet and incredibly agile. So maneuvering through throngs of people had never been much of a problem. The fact that she wore a snowy white tutu with glittering sparkles and a halo also helped, since only the prima ballerina could wear it.<p>

And no one wanted to be chewed out for stepping on the prima ballerina. Lulu dashed behind one of the settings and sighed. Thankfully, the next scene was after a two hour long intermission and she could get time to catch her breath.

It was so nice that her mother could make the opening part of the ballet. Usually, though Lucy always made sure to see at least one of her performances, she didn't get home in time to see the first night. Though Lucy bragged day and night about her 'little Lulu' being a prima ballerina at nine years old, beating all the older girls, and performing all across Fiore (except Magnolia), Lulu was happiest when she came on opening night.

Especially since she had just gotten back from a job early that morning. Lulu was glad she still came. _I'm so lucky,_ Lulu thought. Now, if only he had come. Obviously, and Lucy thanked all that was good in Fiore, Lulu had surpassed Natsu's seemingly genetic knack for idiocy. Unfortunately for Lucy, that meant that Lulu was intelligent...incredibly intelligent. **  
><strong>

So, that meant that finding out just who was her father, especially with Natsu's reputation, was laughably easy for Lulu. About two years ago, this ballet prodigy looked into her mother's past while she was away and stumbled upon Fairy Tail, a guild famous for powerful mages and infamous for causing more damage than necessary on jobs. However, that does not seem to stop people from making requests ranging from simple things like filling in for waitresses and waiters to complex things like, oddly enough, destroying the moon.

Lulu really had to wrap her head around the last one.

Upon further investigation, Lulu stumbled upon the stories of Natsu Dragneel the Salamander, a fire dragon slayer mage known for his insatiable lust for battle, unyielding appetite for fire and food, and his ongoing battle with a severe case of motion sickness.

Well, at least the mystery of why she couldn't ride anything faster than a miniature twelve year old pony was solved.

Naturally, Lucy denied all of it. And demanded that Lulu focus more on her studies and ballet than her mother's past. Normally, Lulu would have tried to reason with her mother on why it would be great to know her suspected father, but Loke (or Uncle Loke, as she called him) had pulled her off to the side and told her that the words 'Fairy Tail', 'guild', and 'Natsu Dragneel' brought on an old heartache that her mother tries to forget and that she should just wait until she's older to broach the subject.

That didn't stop Lulu from wishing he'd pass through town or something and spot her. Call her childish, but Lulu used to dream of Natsu seeing her one day and recognizing her as his daughter. She'd dream that he'd come and find her mother and they'd make up...he'd marry her...and she could live happily with them, learning more about dragon slayer magic and ballet.

Plus, she wanted a little brother.

"Don't be silly," she sighed to herself, not noticing two men sneak up behind her, "crazy circumstances like that never happen in real life." Lulu always prided herself on being more practical than most girls her age. Then, she was struck on the head and knocked out cold.

Crazy how life works, huh?


	3. Far Away

Natsu sat alone. Normally, in his house, Happy was with him. They'd talk and joke and argue about every tiny thing, but not today. Happy, being more perceptive than most thought, knew that today Natsu wanted to be alone. So, he went and hung around Carla, Lily, Wendy, and Romeo. Gray had taken a similar cue and was with his newlywed wife, Juvia, and their nine-year-old son, Kaito. Erza was with Jellal and their twins, Seraph and Carlos.

And everyone left him alone.

Because today was the tenth anniversary of when Lucy went missing. And it was one of the hardest days of the year for Natsu, who had searched high and low for his long lost girlfriend. He had spent months following every lead, sniffing out her scent, going from town to town to ask if she had passed through.

Each time, she was just out of his reach. There were even times he swore he saw a woman who looked like her, even for a moment.

It burnt him that he couldn't find the two who were the most important to him, Igneel and Lucy.

So, after spending the month leading up to this month exhausting past leads and following false rumors of Fairy Tail's 'Phantom Fairy' (after Lucy left, all of Fairy Tail set out to find her and news spread until it seemed like she was everywhere), Natsu returned with a heavy heart and a need to drink and fight. "No news, huh," Mirajane came up and refilled his glass. She, like her guildmates, had also gone out a few times to see if she could locate Lucy to no avail.

"...She left Oak Town before I could get there. She doesn't even live there," Natsu grumbled. "It's like she already knows when I'm coming and just runs. It's as if she's avoiding us," Natsu couldn't blame her. It took them a couple days to realize she was gone and, with that heartbreaking goodbye letter, they were made to understand how they were ignoring the beloved celestial mage.

"She can't move around so much without a steady source of income."

"And she never quit the guild, so she's probably still working under the Fairy Tail name," Carla walked up, keeping a sharp eye of her flying toddler, Angel. Angel snickered as she dropped small water balloons on the unsuspecting guild members before she heard Carla snap out her name. "Honestly, she can be as irksome as her father...anyway, so Lucy is obviously still working as a mage, much like Mystogan," Carla sighed.

"But, Mystogan at least came and spoke to Master," Mirajane reminded them. "From what I can tell, Master doesn't know her whereabouts either." Natsu groaned. Ten years and they were no closer to finding Lucy than before. He still wished he had decided to visit Lucy the day before, he could have stopped her from leaving town.

From leaving the guild.

From leaving their team.

From leaving him.

Mirajane and Carla noticed Natsu's mood worsen and immediately tried to cheer him up. An angry Natsu was never a good thing. A depressed Natsu was even worse. "Well, maybe she has a town she lives in. After all, Gildarts still, technically, lives in Magnolia. So, what's to say Lucy doesn't have a place she lives in a lot?" Carla nodded, not taking note of how the guild was starting to listen in. Theories of where Lucy could be were always a popular subject.

"Now that Juvia thinks about it," the water mage piped in from a few tables over, "we only hear a few rumors at a time. And usually, they're a few months apart." Gray nodded.

"True, or Flame Brain could just be slow. After all, idiot, you walk to every place. She's probably passed you on the train and you never noticed." That pissed him off. He stormed over quicker than Elfman could even begin to say 'blank blank is man' and got in Gray's face, fists burning.

"What was that, Ice Prick? I'd hate to have to crush you with your son watching."

"Ha! Watch this, Kaito, Dad's about to teach Lizard Breath here a whole new lesson in pain!" Kaito sighed and looked up from his small ice sculpture.

"Dad, you're not wearing pants again."

"Sh**!" Gray frantically began searching for his clothes as Juvia sighed, "why does this always happen!?" Kaito was basically a tiny version of Gray, except with Juvia's blue hair. He looked at his mom.

"Mom, please don't let me be weird like Dad."

"Don't worry, Mama will never let you strip in public." Natsu cracked up.

"Look, the Ice Fairy got owned by his own son!"

"So, didja find Lucy, Fire Brain!?"

"You. Are. So. Dead!"

"A...ano...?" No one seemed to notice a tiny girl in a tattered tutu, ripped tights, and dirty ballet slippers had wondered in. Her strawberry blonde hair was laying in curls falling down her back and her big eyes were wide as she watched these powerful mages go back and forth, snarling and cussing at each other. One was not wearing pants.

One was smiling as if watching puppies play with each other.

One was a cat...there were several cats.

One was shouting out things that were man.

One was drinking something from a barrel.

And one was cheering out "yay, Gray-sama!"

Kaito noticed the girl and went to her. "Hey, who are you?" That caught their attention as everyone spotted their resident mini-Gray talk to this...random tiny ballerina. "You lost or something?"

"Ah, sorry, I am. I don't know how I got here...I think I was kidnapped."

...

...

...Silence...

"Errr..you...think?"

"Well, actually, I'm positive I was. What I mean is, I have no clue how to get home." The entire guild responded with a collective

"OOOH!"

"A-anyway, while I was walking around to see if I could find some help, I noticed that...this is Fairy Tail. That famous guild, right?" She looked like she could barely contain her excitement. Natsu sat back down as Happy floated over to the girl.

"Aye, Sir! This is the Fairy Tail Guild, the strongest guild in Fiore. But, you have to be at least twelve to sign up for it or you need your parents' signature." Or else every runaway or child would be signing up. They are a guild...not an orphanage. The girl shook her head frantically.

"Oh no, that's not it. I'm looking for Salamander..." Natsu then went to her, crouched down, and smiled.

"That's me, the name's Natsu Dragneel. Ya need me to help you get home?" The girl stared for a long time, then teared up and hugged him. Surprised, Natsu barely registered what she said next.

"I can't believe it! I actually found you! I thought I'd have to wait until I was older, but I guess the stars led me here because I had wished and wished to meet you and find you, so Mommy can come back home and be happy and I can't believe it," she squealed. The girl was surprisingly strong for such a thin thing and kind of loud. Natsu stumbled onto his back and sat up, pulling her off. Looking at her, she looked incredibly familiar.

"Umm...I really don't know who you are." She blinked and gasped.

"That's right! Mommy left before I was born. If I remember correctly, my birthday is five months _after_ Mommy left. How silly of me, no wonder you don't know me." Okay, now it was beginning to sound as if she knew Natsu for reasons other than his slight tendency to kind of burn entire towns to the ground. The girl smiled shyly, "my name is Lulu Heartifilia. I'm nine. I always knew I'd find you..." The next word might as well of punched him in the gut, "Papa."


	4. Daddy's Girl

Magnolia was having a pretty peaceful afternoon. Birds were singing, fish were swimming, and there was no horrific, fiery/icy/windy/metallic/card throwing/satanic/animalistic/RE-QUIPPING/bullet induced/watery/OH-DEAR-MAVIS-WHY-IS-THIS-HAPPENING battle to the death mage war going on. All in all, the Magic Council could rest easily that Fairy Tail was not about to destroy Fiore by accident.

They did worry, however, when a loud "WHAAAAAT!?" resounded through the air from many different voices.

Lulu had to cover her ears when she saw it coming. Natsu was frozen in place, staring at her in total shock. Even Gray was frozen, the whole 'where are my pants' thing forgotten. Juvia had melted into a puddle from the shock. Mirajane's mouth dropped. Carla, Happy, and Panther Lily were babbling from shock. Cana dropped her alcohol.

Cana. Dropped. Her. Alcohol.

And Levy had just gotten back when she heard Lulu call Natsu Papa, so she was both shocked and lost. Erza and Jellal were speechless. Evergreen had accidentally turned Elfman into stone.

And Cana's alcohol was still on the ground.

"Anoo...did I do something wrong?"

"Natsu!? Papa!?" Gray cracked up, "you gotta be joking! I can believe you being Lucy's kid, but Natsu's so dumb, he doesn't know were to put it in!" SMACK!

"Thank you, Erza," Mirajane said, glowering at Gray. Erza walked up to Natsu and hit him too.

"Ouch! What did I do!?" She stood in all her frightening glory, clad in a red sundress with her sun hat still on, since she and her family had planned to spend the day out. But, she might as well have been in her armor as she glowered down at him.

"How dare you, Natsu, impregnate your guild mate and then abandon her! And to not tell us she was pregnant, I should skin you alive!" Back at their table, Jellal was watching his wife threaten Natsu with a barrage of swords. Seraph, their daughter who was more interested in his heavenly body magic than Erza's requip magic, sat next to him, hiding under his cloak. She looked almost exactly like Erza. But, he swore she had his smile.

"Papa, Mama is being scary again."

"Darling, Mama is always scary." Carlos, who strived to be like his mother, watched her in admiration. He looked like his mother too, except with Jellal's facial structure. He glanced back at his father with stars in his eyes.

"Father, do you see how elegantly Mother handles her swords! So cool!" Jellal saw Erza beating Natsu with a club.

"...Your mother is always like that." Back to Lulu, she was watching in slight horror as her father ran around the room avoiding an enraged Erza's knives/swords/javelins/clubs/poison darts/etc. She had not truly expected this kind of turmoil. Sure, the average 'that's impossible' or 'where's your proof' she had expected.

Not an attempt on his life.

That was a surprise.

As Natsu continued to flee for his life, Levy had been brought up to speed, or, more appropriately, told how they had absolutely no clue as to what just happened.

But, apparently, Natsu is a baby daddy. And, being as Levy still had her wits and did not have to deal with Gajeel since he was busy chasing down their daughter, she decided to try and sort it out while the others saved Natsu. Levy had not really grown. Sure, she grew six inches since she last saw Lucy, but she was still the shortest mage. After all, Wendy had passed her two years ago. But, she certainly looked older and Gajeel had influenced her hair, so now it was a bit spikier. Plus, being a mother had filled her out a bit more, to the point where she could be called 'curvy' in a way.

The script mage dodged as Natsu ran past, shouting 'I didn't know'. Erza followed, screaming 'no excuses!' Then she continued until she stood in front of Lulu and crouched down, "hi, Lulu. I'm Levy Redfox, did you say your mother is Lucy Heartifilia."

"That's right." Lulu stood up and bowed deeply, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Redfox. I read a lot about you." Levy blinked.

"You did?"

"Yeah, I read about you and Mr. Redfox."

"I think Gajeel would like it better if you just called him Gajeel. Anyway, I hate to ask this, but...did Lucy tell you that Natsu was your papa?" Lulu shook her head.

"She didn't even tell me she was a part of Fairy Tail. But one day, she took off her gloves and I spotted your insignia. After that, it was simply a matter of going through a database of official and unofficial guilds. I even looked through some dark guilds. It took weeks, then I found the exact same insignia in Wizards Weekly." Levy blinked, this girl researched!?

There was no way she was Natsu's daughter.

"Then I confronted her and asked why she didn't just go to the guild and get jobs there instead of moving us from place to place in search of jobs. Of course, Mommy doesn't like the fact that I know she belongs to Fairy Tail and refuses to talk about it."

"So you don't know that Natsu's your father?"

"Oh, I know that he is. It was really easy to figure out. You see, I did more research and connected the dots a bit. So, apparently, Mommy is Fairy Tail's long lost member-aka, the Phantom Fairy. And it was easy to find out that Mommy left exactly five months before I was born."

"But...what?" By now everyone, even Erza who was trying to choke the life out of Natsu, had stopped to listen.

"One day, while trying to piece together why my mother was so insistent on always moving, I began to wonder who my father was. At first, I thought it was Uncle Loke, then I realized that was impossible." Natsu looked at her. Lulu had Lucy's face and eyes, even though she was a strawberry blonde. But those were definitely his ears and she had a kind of dragon like vibe.

"So, why are you so sure I'm your dad and not Loke?"

"Because he's married to Auntie Aries," they stared in shock. "So, I dug a little deeper and made some inquiries at different, smaller guilds we met. And not just magic ones, I asked all kinds. I found out about how Natsu had just began dating Mommy when she disappeared mysteriously. You all spent months searching while Natsu went an entire year abroad, looking for her. But, that was the same year I was born. So, after another four months, Mommy couldn't have gone too far. She was in Crocus, where I was born."

Again, the entire guild was silent. After all, at least ten members had searched there too. Natsu felt as if he had been doused with water. All this time, she probably knew they were following her.

"We didn't stay for long, though. We moved to Oak Town, then Clover Town, and I went to grade school for three years in Shirotsume Town. But, anyway, after I got all that, I realized that Salamander is my papa."

"Well...that really...I mean...I'm still a tad skeptical..."Mirajane said, perplexed. "Natsu, did you ever..." She glanced at all the children. "...'you know what' with Lucy?"

"Yeah...we had sex six times actually."

"Idiot! There are kids here and they are too young to know about this stuff!" Gray, Juvia, Levy, and Erza punched him. Kaito looked at Lulu who shrugged.

"I don't get it, why are they so mad?"

"I think they don't want us to know your mom lost her virginity to Natsu."

"Kaito!"

"What'd I do?"

"I mean, I was always careful...are you absolutely sure?" Though Natsu was now positive he had a daughter, he had since learned not to get his hopes up too high in case it turned out to be a total let down. Lulu smiled at him innocently.

"Because I didn't inherit Mommy's celestial magic." At that, Lulu lifted up her hand and flames shot up from her palm. "I got Papa's dragon slayer magic."


	5. Fatherhood

What seemed like would be the hardest day of the year for Natsu turned out to be better than Christmas. After all, it's not every day your previously unknown daughter comes up out of the blue. Natsu watched with the same awe as a father watching his child sleep for the first time as Lulu sat at the table, being fussed over by Mira and Levy as she ate torch after torch. She was like a little baby dragon princess, eating the flame as politely as she could. Lucy must have really pressed manners into his daughter.

His daughter.

His little princess.

Natsu could feel the obsession already. Now he knew why Jellal and Gajeel always coddling Seraph and Evangeline. God help the boy who dares try to take away Lulu. Natsu grinned, thinking of all the things he'd do to the boys who fell for Lulu. Oh yes, first he'd burn off their skin, then grind them up into-

"Daaad! Natsu is making a creepy face again!" Kaito's and Carlos' voices brought him from his thoughts and he just barely registered Lulu regarding him weirdly.

"Papa, are you okay? You look like you're-"

"Planning to kill a guy? I know that look well," Jellal said, coming up to pat Natsu on the shoulder. "So, how's it feel to be a dad?"

"Both wonderful and like I missed eight years of her life." Jellal nodded.

"Think of it this way, now that Lulu is here, Lucy will come looking for her. Once Lucy gets here-

"I can convince her to stay and be a family with us again!" Lulu's eyes lit up as she heard Natsu's comment. It was like her wish really was being granted, she concluded. After all, despite the attempt on Natsu's life by Erza, whom Lulu had only heard heroric and horrifying tales about, it seems as though everyone could finally see that she was definately Natsu's daughter.

After only an hour and a few inquiries into different hositals, in which Lucy had never been admitted to during that time, they came to the conclusion that Lucy had decided on a home birth, staying with a midwife she had contacted. It took hours, after contacting some man named Hibiki from Blue Pegasus, to get in contact with her. However, her assistant answered and relayed that it was true.

Lulu was born on September 22, X784 at seven o'clock in the morning. She was seven pounds, eleven ounces and had been twelve point three inches. Her birth had been very easy and there were no complications and they even sent over a picture via lacrima of Lulu at four days old. Natsu ran to get it converted once he saw it.

In fact, the more the guild watched, the more alike they seemed. Lulu loved eating fire, as proven by Natsu continuously relighting torches for her to feed on (dragons have to feed their young). She just gulped it down. She also had a love of meat and liked it to be loud. She hadn't even been there a full day and already had adopted Natsu's catchphrase.

Levy sighed, "I bet Lu-chan will freak when she sees this."

Mira laughed, "looks like Natsu's having a ball." She watched the hot tempered dragonslayer mage tickle his daughter as she shrieked.

"Yeah, but...is he ready? I mean, sure, he's 'technically' Happy's father..." said exceed was being snuggled by Lulu who was permanantly seated on Natsu's lap. "But he's never been a real dad, has he? After all, being a parent isn't all fun and games." Levy was a bit worried. Having a nine-year-old girl herself, she knew that they were just on the brink of puberty and, with that, came trouble. Gajeel had a near heart attack when he found out that their daughter, Evangeline, had actually kissed a boy already.

It was on the cheek, of course, but that didn't stop him from howling for blood.

Speaking of whom-

"EVANGELINE REDFOX, YOU GET YOUR-"

"GAJEEL! LANGUAGE!"

"JUST GET BACK HERE, YOU BRAT!"

"No way, you old bag of rusty scales! I dun wanna be infected by your weirdness!" A girl around Lulu's height dashed inside the guild and hid behind Mirajane, who smiled at her.

"Eva-chan, are you causing trouble again?" Evangeline would grow up to be a show stopper. She had gotten Levy's fairy-like complexion and face shape, but had big red eyes and silky black hair flowing down her back. Already, Eva had her own admirers and was on the fast track to learning both Script magic (because it was stylish) and Iron Dragon Slayer Magic (because it was cool). She gave Mira puppy dog eyes.

"Aunt Miraaa, I was just getting a book at the library when Dad totally flipped his lid again! Ugh, I can't go anywhere!" Gajeel came storming in. He had really not changed at all during the years, save for cutting his hair a bit shorter and removing a few piercings, since Eva had been a grabby baby. He glowered at his daughter.

"Of course, I'm pissed! I told you about that skirt!" Mira looked down. Per usual, Eva's skirt was not past her knees. It was a plaited mini, red, and plaid. Her shirt was a black leather vest with chains and zippers and her shoes were black combat. She also sported the family trait, a red plaid hairband with a dragon skull ornament. Mira giggled.

Same old Evangeline.

"What's wrong, Old Man? Can't handle that I look better than you do?"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop hemming your skirts so short! You cannot walk around looking like a hooker!"

"Moooom! Dad called me a hooker!"

"Gajeel..."

"What!? I di-will you just back me up on this!?"

"Gajeel, it's barely an inch."

"More like seven inches!"

"Oh Mavis, Dad's not only crazy, he's blind and can't count!"

"Why you little..."

"Enough! Both of you! Honestly, you're like Gray and Natsu..."

"Yeah, 'cept I'm usually right." Gajeel lunged for her, but she ducked.

"Get over here, ya little-!" Lulu watched in fascination as Gajeel and his daughter argued. Levy looked at Natsu and pointed.

"See that? That is fatherhood." Natsu gulped and prayed to whomever was listening that Lulu didn't turn out so stubborn. Lulu, on the other hand, looked forward to when she could also push Natsu's buttons.


	6. Monsters pt 1

By the end of the day, Natsu was completely and utterly exhausted. He had spent the entire day pining for Lucy, discovering he had a daughter, fending off an enraged Erza/Gajeel, and smothering said daughter. Lulu was equally as tired, seeing as she had climbed onto his back, with no warning, and fallen dead asleep. Happy did, as well. The blue exceed had split his time between his own toddler, Angel, and bonding with Carla. Plus, the added addition of Lulu always catching him did not lessen his load.

Lulu, on the other hand, had a ball. She and Evangeline had hit it off like their mothers before them. And, if Gajeel hoped Lucy's little girl would mellow out his wild card daughter, then he forgot that she was half Natsu's. They had decided to celebrate their friendship by, to Levy and Lily's amusement, braiding Gajeel's hair into pigtails.

Natsu had to wrestle him away from Lulu while laughing.

Kaito had welcomed Lulu into Fairy Tail, blushing. Natsu made a mental note to keep a very close eye on him.

After all, Lulu wasn't gonna start dating until she was...Igneel's age...plus three days just to be sure.

Natsu's thoughts were broken by a small sneeze that racked Lulu's body. She mumbled in response to it and snuggled closer to him, to the warmth his powers gave off. He grinned, remembering when he used to do that to Igneel.

_Better get her inside, _Natsu continued up the stone steps to his house. Unfortunately, it had fallen into slight disrepair (AGAIN) once Lucy stopped coming over. There was moss growing on the side and he had to really patch up that loose shutter on the roof. Plus, Natsu thought, he should really work on the chimney. Mavis knows how long it's been since he cleaned it and it could use some new stones. He nodded to himself, slightly stirring Happy from his rest on Lulu's head. After all, Lulu needed better than this and a clean house is sure to impress Lucy when she comes over to get Lulu. As he trudged towards the door, Happy woke up groggily. "Are we home already?" The tired Exceed rubbed his eyes.

"Yup. Can you get the door, my arms are full." Happy muttered a sleepy 'aye, sir' and got Natsu's key. Floating up to the door, he unlocked it and pushed the door open before going into the dark house. Upon entering, he had to quickly catch himself before falling because of a loose pair of boots. Muttering curses, he kicked them to the side and, through some fancy maneuvering of his own (finally putting down his groceries), he flicked on the light.

The place looked no better than the outside. There were a few holes from his punches (frustration from losing Lucy did things to him), the bathroom needed cleaning big time, and there was clutter. He had did his best to keep it clean like he did when Lucy began staying over (she hated untidiness), but had fallen into depression when she was gone and gave up on it.

But not anymore, Natsu remembered with a smile. He had Lulu and, soon, a second chance with Lucy. He'd give this place a total make over tomorrow, but tonight was too late. He sidestepped the mess and, somehow, got Lulu on the couch. She was such a heavy sleeper.

He rummaged through his closet, finding a shirt large enough to be a gown for her. After changing her out of that tutu, why a tutu, he put her in the hammock and tucked her in. "...G'night, Lu." Before he turned out the light, he could have sworn he heard-

"Goodnight, Papa."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Where...am I...? <em>**

_"Oi! Moron, watch her head! Master don't want her too banged up or she won't sell as good!" _

_Sell? What was going on? Where is she? Where's Mommy?_

_"Tiny, cute thing like this'll get a lot of jewel. How'd she bid?"_

_...Bid...? _

_"Ha! A couple of high and mighty snobs are willing to pay seven hundred million jewel for a prodigy. And the lady adores ballet, so she's offered double the adoption fee for our 'mystery ballet prodigy'." _

_"No foolin'?"_

_"Puh, lady about died when we told her how old. Just gotta get her to them and we'll all be sitting pretty."_

_...Was she...being sold!? _

_Lulu began to shake, from both fear and movement. Oh no...she had a gag and she felt like she was going to gag. She couldn't see. She could barely breathe. She was scared. _

* * *

><p>Lulu woke with a jolt, breathing heavily. She was sweaty and shivering. It had been almost a week since she escaped her captors and had walked through dense woods to get to Magnolia. It was sheer luck, too. But, Lulu still had that dream, that memory. "Lulu, are you alright?" Happy hovered over, a look of worry on his face. The blue exceed had woken up to Lulu mumbling and whimpering. She was also crying in her sleep.<p>

"Ano...sorry, Happy...I'm okay." Happy didn't think so.

"You're shivering...and sweating...Natsu, I think Lulu's got a fever!" Natsu, who was in the kitchen, pouring cereal, ran in and hurriedly checked her forehead.

"I'm fine, Papa, really." Natsu clicked his tongue.

"You do feel a little warmer than you should...maybe I should take you to Wendy." Happy shook her head.

"Carla will kill you for wasting Wendy's energy on a fever. And then me for letting you." Natsu groaned, that was right.

"Papa, honestly, I'm okay. I just had a bad dream." Lulu was briefly reminded of her mother, who would blow off a job if she even suspected that Lulu had a fever...or even just a cough. She swallowed sadness.

She'd see her again soon. She and Papa would see her together. "You did? What about?" Lulu blinked. She hated remembering it and didn't want to talk about it.

"...Ummm...monsters! Lots and lots of scary, oozing monsters." Natsu blinked and then laughed.

"Monsters? Ha, Lu, you should know that your papa is the worst one out there!" She blinked. "After all, I was raised by Igneel, a dragon! Any monster that tries to mess with you, why, I wouldn't even let them be ash! I'd burn away their very existence!" He put his foot on the coffee table and laughed evilly. Lulu watched in confusion before giggling.

"You're weird, Papa."

"Hey!" Happy grinned mischievously.

"She diiiiissed you." Natsu glared at him while Lulu laughed. "Ne, Lulu, want some fish for breakfast?"

"Is that what we're having?" Natsu rapidly shook his head.

"Sorry, Lulu, I'm not much of a cook. But, I got some cereal and milk..." He began thinking. "I guess I could fry some eggs too." Lulu smiled.

"Cereal is good, Papa." She climbed out of the hammock, swinging precariously. Natsu's heart stopped and he took a step to catch her until he saw her jump down and land with no problem. She looked around, looking tinier in his shirt. "Papa..."

"Yeah?"

"...Did you forget to clean your room?" He deadpanned as he remembered the mess. Of course, Lucy raised her up to this point...Lulu raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, I spend most of my time on jobs. So, it gets a bit messy." Lulu giggled.

"...The world's worst monster lives in a dumpster." Once again, he deadpanned.

"She diiiiiiissed you."

* * *

><p><em>"Are you sure?" <em>The knight sighed. It sucked, it really did, that Fiore's youngest prima ballerina had been kidnapped, but there was nothing he could do anymore. The woman in front of him was everything a worried mother was and wasn't. She had personally gone out and investigated every lead that came up, practically tortured suspects until they spoke, and had struck fear into the dark guild community in search of her daughter.

And did it all without calling up one of her Celestial Spirits or using her whip.

Her hair was in disarray, hastily pulled into a high ponytail every morning so she could continue searching for her beloved child. Her brown eyes showed worry and longing for Lulu Heartifilia, contempt at the law for not searching as hard as she demanded (and they searched hard), and a wrath hotter than hell for the kidnappers. Personally, he hoped they found her WITHOUT the kidnappers. Because if she got her hands on them...

He shuddered, remembering how one of the suspects had told her to calm her "glorious tits" when she talked to him. The hospital had to surgically sew back up his "manhood".

"Ms. Heartifilia, we are trying the best we can, but the lead was false. We've sent out more inquiries, but this is going to take some time." She slammed her hands on the table, the force of her motherly wrath causing the surface to break. The knight flinched. Her blazing brown eyes bore down at him. The cloak did little tp hide her whip, keys, and daggers. He gulped.

"She may not have time," she whispered angrily. "It's been a week and she has motion sickness. She could be anywhere in Fiore and not be able to escape! And you're telling me that we have to wait another week for any answers?"

He shuddered, "I've sent a word to the Magic Council to keep a lookout. I promise, we will do all we can to find Lulu, but my hands are tied here." Lucy stood, anger evident. She flipped up the hood of her cloak, causing a shadow to fall on her face.

"No, they aren't. You don't know anything about being helpless. Contact me when you can be of use." She stormed out of his office and went into an alley. As she walked, tears fell from her eyes and she angrily punched a wall, feeling the wood splinter from her rage. "Don't worry, Lulu, Mommy will find you soon. And I'll kill the dogs who took you."


	7. Names, Missions, and Clothes

Natsu had never been more frantic than that morning. He had originally planned to stay home, do some chores, and bond with Lulu. So, he was simply getting the dishes done while Lulu finished up her bath when the child came in clad in a towel with her hair wrapped up, just like her mother, and looked at him with those big brown eyes, and said "Papa, I don't have any clothes."

...Natsu silently cursed and searched frantically through his wardrobe, hoping to find something that would fit the tiny girl. Sadly, he had gotten rid of all the clothes he wore when he was younger and the left over clothes he had from Lucy were way too big.

"I don't have anything..." He sighed and sank to the floor. Her first night here and she has no clothes. Trying to think fast as Lulu sat next to him, Happy floated.

"I could go see if Gajeel and Levy have extra clothes. Lulu looks like she could be Eva's size." Natsu perked his head up.

"Happy, you're a genius! Go ask if we can borrow some!" With an 'aye, sir', Happy flew from the window towards the guild. After all, they were probably there. Natsu sighed and looked at Lulu, who was staring at the wall.

"What are those?" She pointed to the fliers on the wall. In the last decade, Natsu had doubled his time on missions, using them as ways to get info on Lucy. His wall was now practically covered in successful missions and a map of Fiore. The map had red tacks in different spots, save Magnolia.

All the spots Lucy had been seen.

Some places had at least twenty while some only had one or two.

Natsu smiled, "all the missions your old man's been on. Some of those are ones I went on with your mother. See that one? First mission we ever did together," he pointed at the maid outfit that had accumulated some dust, "she had to wear that." Lulu giggled.

"Why?"

"The weirdo we were trying to trick wanted a beautiful blonde maid. Called her ugly when he saw her." Lulu blinked.

"But Mommy is the prettiest person ever!" He held in a laugh. Lucy probably adored her for that.

"Yeah, he was a little bit crazy."

"And blind." Now he was laughing, especially when she puffed out her cheeks in irritation.

"Anyway, that was the mission she got Virgo." He pointed to another mission. "And that was the first mission we went on with Erza and Gray. And that was the first S-Class mission I have ever been on...but it was unofficial and Erza had to drag us back..." He went on and on, telling her different stories about their missions that he nearly missed the knocking on the door.

Or, more appropriately, Erza slamming the door open and calling out their names. Lulu jumped as Natsu calmly looked at her. "Is she gonna kill us," Lulu whispered to Natsu.

"Stay calm, she can smell fear," he responded. "Oi, Erza, what is it?"

"I understand that Lulu has no clothes for a young girl her age!" Levy sidestepped Erza and held up a simple pink sundress and some sandals. She smiled.

"Sorry if it doesn't fit, but I don't really know your size." Lulu hummed before looking at her feet.

"Ummmm...I dunno..." Erza smiled.

"Worry not, Lulu, we will find out today! We are going shopping and-" Erza noticed the state of the house. She glowered at Natsu who mumbled 'I know already'. "Natsu, you will hand over your wallet. Now!" He looked surprised.

"What!? No way, shop with you ow-"

"Oh, yeah, Lucy. It was no problem getting Lulu clothes and essentials. Natsu refused to help, but we managed to get her the things she needs as a girl and-" Levy was stopped when he gave her a glare and handed Erza his wallet. Erza smiled.

"Good. Now, we girls will go shopping and you will stay and clean this...this...I cannot even call it a house..." Erza waited for Lulu to change before they left. Natsu sighed and looked around. He might as well get started.

* * *

><p>Lulu had not been around Magnolia a lot. She had spotted Fairy Tail's insignia and had seen anything else. So it was reasonable for her eyes to grow wide at the amount of shops. There were mainly magic shops and restaurants, but Levy and Erza eventually lead her to a clothing store. She stared at all the different hues of clothing that seemed to glow brighter and brighter. There were clothes of every type in here and of every price. Levy giggled as she began scouring the shop for different clothes. Gajeel, sadly, had been caught up in his wife's goal to get Lulu clothes and Evangeline had come under the guise of wanting clothes too.<p>

So he was given the job of 'bag holding'. Lulu smiled at him, "how long have you been friends with Papa?" He tsked.

"I ain't Salamander's buddy. Guy can go ta-" Levy glared and he shut up. "...Erm...maybe ten and a half years...probably eleven." Lulu blinked.

"Salamander?" Gajeel nodded.

"Mages can get themselves a name if they are famous enough. Yer dad's nickname is Salamander. Mine's Black Steel. Erza's is Titania, and Levy's nickname is Shrimp." Whap! Gajeel stumbled from the blow of his wife's handbag as she snarled at him about that. Levy turned to Lulu.

"Don't listen to him. My nickname is NOT shrimp. I don't really have one. But let's see..." she mumbled as she pulled out a skirt for her to try. "Juvia's nickname is Juvia of the Deep...Mira's is She-Devil...Gildarts is Ace of Fairy Tail...Elfman is Beast Arm Elfman...Wendy is Sky Maiden...and Freed is The Dark." Lulu was amazed. Each of those names signified someone who was not to be trifled with. She could barely believe that Mirajane, who had told her to call her Aunt Mira and given her cookies on her first day, was called the She-Devil.

She had just assumed those rumors to be untrue.

"Did Mommy have a nickname before she became the Phantom Fairy...?" Gajeel grinned.

"Lucky Lucy of Fairy Tail."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, I know Lucy prefers to be Just Lucy, but the last part seemed to fit.<strong>


	8. Pacifist

**Well...Happy b-day to me...**

* * *

><p>"EHHHH!?"<p>

Natsu flinched at Lulu's shout. Oh yeah, only a child between him and Lucy could scream so loud. She stood there in her new clothes, a plain chocolate brown plaited skirt and a white, off shoulder blouse. Levy had also bought her some bows, headbands, and bandanas. So she had put her hair in a fish bone braid and tied it up in a red bow. All in all, she looked like a little princess.

Which made it really confusing when he told her to attack him.

He had been a father for Lulu for a week now and had noticed that, while she would gulp down fire without a moment's hesitation and he was glad for that, she barely used her dragon slaying magic.

Ever.

It unnerved him because he could see her brimming with it. It could be powerful and amazing and-WHY THE HELL WASN'T SHE USING IT!? Magic like theirs was not meant to be contained. So, Natsu decided that she should be trained to fight. After all, it was natural for dragons to fight. Evangeline fought tooth and nail with the other kids. Even Seraph could really handle herself in a brawl.

"I want to see how strong you are, so I want you to attack me."

"Again, huuuuh!?" Lulu, on the other hand, did not look thrilled. In fact, she looked down right terrified. Wendy, who had just gotten back, stood off to the side. Her hair was cut short now, into a choppy bob, and she had filled out to match her Edolas counterpart. The sky dragon slayer watched before smiling.

"Don't worry, Lulu. I'm sure Natsu will hold back. You're his little girl after all." That did not make Lulu feel better. She began shaking as Natsu shouted from his place in the field.

"Alright, Lu, just come at me with everything you got!" Lulu stood there, shaking. It took a few minutes of just staring at him before Natsu realized that Lulu was not gonna move. He sighed, "alright, I'll start!" With that, Natsu charged and threw a jab. Lulu shrieked and ducked, spinning out of the way.

Natsu blinked and grinned, "good! You can dodge...that was pretty fast, though, how'd you learn that?"

"It was a pirouette."

"A what?"

"Pirouette...a la second..." Natsu and Wendy blinked.

"Pear..pier...oh...what?"

"...A...la...secon?" Wendy and Natsu stared. "Ano...I've never heard of that move before...what kind of fighting style is it?"

Lulu shook her head, "it's a ballet term..." Natsu and Wendy stared for a long time. Before they both said the word 'ballet'. Lulu nodded. Natsu began cracking up.

"Ballet!? Seriously!?" He kept laughing while Wendy cooed about how she was so cute doing it. Lulu glared at her father. What was wrong with ballet? She spent a good portion of her life perfecting her ballet skills. Lulu felt her temper rise. She loved ballet. It was one of the constants in her life. She spent years waking up early and practicing until late at night, stopping only for food and school. She performed at a professional level. She could perform the lead part of La Slyphide to near perfection, had danced Cinderella twice, and played the part of Odile and Odette to a tee.

And her father was laughing.

She suffered broken bones, sprained ankles, fevers, cuts, bruises, and blisters for him to laugh.

By now, Lulu's face was red and you could literally see the flames bouncing off her as she glared at hin. Wendy, using her woman's intuition (a force stronger than any mage), slowly backed up. And with good reason, because Natsu could not even dodge the onslaught of fiery breath coming from his enraged daughter.

Lulu stormed back in, huffing as he followed behind, coughing and covered in ash. "Aww, come on, Lu, don't be mad." Lulu ignored him, pouting. Kaito looked up to see Lulu sitting at their table and smiled.

"Hey, Lulu, what's up?"

"...Papa is a moron." Gray sighed.

"Let's rephrase that. Is anything new up?" Lulu shook her head. In all honesty, she had learned pretty quickly that Natsu was not the best in tact. Erza chided him constantly, reminding him on how he now needs to set an example for his daughter. Levy and Juvia were usually taking her off on trips for 'girl time' (how much girl time can a girl need in a week?) so that they could make sure she didn't pick up any unsavory habits. Do not even mention Evergreen, who turned Natsu to stone if she heard him say a swear word around Lulu.

Basically, the entire guild had gone insane.

Then again, Lulu was like a ray of hope in their unspoken quest to find their long lost nakama.

No way in Hell are they gonna let Natsu screw it up.

Lulu sighed, that was just as well. From the stories Lulu could force from her mother, Natsu made up for his tactless behavior by his unwavering loyalty. And, though he really should learn to not put his foot in his mouth, she supposed she had to get used to his quirks.

But, if her mother could Lucy Kick him in the head for saying the wrong thing, she could definitely give him the silent treatment.

And, to add salt to the wound, sit right next to Gray Fullbuster.

Oh yeah.

She is evil.

Natsu looked over, his expression switching from wounded puppy to pissed dragon (directed at Gray). Lulu ignored him. "Aw, come on, Lu, I said sorry."

Nope.

"Pleeease look at me."

Nope.

"What did Chili Breath do now?" Chili Breath? Lulu let that one slide, as weird as that name was.

"He laughed when he found out I dance ballet." The table stared at her. "Is it really that strange?!"

"That explains the tutu..."

_'Have they been thinking about that this whole time?' _Lulu was beginning to understand why people say Fairy Tail is kind of insane. After all, just two days ago, Mirajane sparred with Erza. She still had nightmares.

"So, do you go to dance class or-" Juvia asked, slightly intrigued.

"Kind of. I dance for the Star Dance Company. It's a dancers guild." They toppled over a bit and stared. "Before I was kidnapped, I was the youth group's prima ballerina. We had been performing an original piece." Natsu's eyes widened. "That's why Papa surprised me. I can't fight...at all." She might as well of kicked Natsu in the head. "Plus, I hate fighting. I settle my fights with words. Mommy says I'm a...pac...paci...pacer...pacifi..." She tried to get the word out.

"...Pacifist?" Juvia provided.

"Yeah! That's it." And again, it felt like Natsu had been kicked. His daughter...his child...hated to fight. Fighting was literally her heritage and she refused to utilize it. Lulu stared at her dad, who had gone incredibly pale. He stared at her like she had grown a second head. Gajeel had apparently overheard too, because he was staring at her in complete shock. "Ummm...are you two o-"

"Gajeeeeeel!" Natsu practically flew over to the iron slayer in tears. "My poor daughter! Lucy has poisoned ger mind and now she can't fight! Oh, dear Mavis above! Oh sweet merciful Igneel, where did I go wroooong!?" Her father was crying...

Lulu stared at him in shock.

Everyone stared at him.

Surprisingly, Gajeel just pat his back. "It's alright, Salamander, she still has time. Oh Metalicana, no father should ever have to endure this." Then Erza came and pat Natsu on the head as he sobbed.

"We can still save this child." Natsu sniffled, looking up at them.

"Really?" They nodded. "Alright, what is the best course of action, Wise Ones?"

"We will have intensive training sessions! Starting tomorrow!" Lulu paled at Gajeel's request. Gajeel put his hand on the fire dragon slayer's shoulder, "with our powers combined, we can pull her from the abyss!" Lulu looked over at Evangeline, who sighed.

"...I am so sorry...but it looks like we'll be training together."

"EHHH!?"

Then Erza declared, "every morning, she shall report to me and I shall explain to her the different battle strategies and tactics needed in the mage world!"

"Thank you, Erza-sensei!" Natsu grinned. Carlos and Seraph smiled at her, Seraph looked sympathetic.

"Looks like we'll be classmates," Seraph giggled. Lulu felt fearful.

"I look forward to working with you," Carlos said, patting her shoulder, though she was two years older. Lulu looked about frantically as different guild members began shouting.

"I will happily teach Lulu what it means to be a man!" Lulu stared at Elfman in horror.

"That makes no sense! Don't worry, Lulu, your Auntie Ever will happily guide you down the path of faeries!"

_'What does that even mean!?'_

"In order to be powerful, you must learn the rules and abide by them. I will gladly tutor you in this way."

"I can teach you the tortuous way of love with my wood maker magic!"

"That makes no sense!"

"Forget fire! With my ice magic, you will never be weak in battle!"

"Hey, Jackoff Frost, she's a fire dragon slayer! No way is she learning ice magic!"

"You wanna go!?"

"Does anyone else think this is getting a bit insane?" Lulu wondered if Levy was the only sane one left. Natsu ignored Gray, even as he shouted, and grinned at Lulu.

"See? Don't worry, we'll get this whole pacifierfist thing straightened out. Now, come on, you need to get some rest because tomorrow is a big day!" Effortlessly, he picked his squirming daughter up and walked home, Happy following him.

"EHH!? BUT I HATE FIGHTING! OH DEAR MAVIS, WHY!? I DON'T WANNAAA! HELP ME! MOMMY!"


	9. Here

Lucy leaned against a crumbling brick wall, her black hooded cloak casting a shadow down until all you could make out were her rosy lips and tiny chin, the surefire sign of a woman. She was seated on a piece of wall that, like the rest of this desolate city, had fallen years before she was born. There were plans to tear it down and make a new city, but those were forgotten once other areas proved to be more...desirable.

_You and I are one and the same, _she thought bleakly. _The only difference is you have no shame in showing yourself. Showing the people whose families once lived in you just how far you are ruined...and I could never look my loved ones in the eyes again. _

Despite what Lulu had thought, Lucy always entertained ideas of returning to the guild. Growing stronger during the years may not have been her goal, but it did happen and she was proud. She wanted to return to those she still called family and reconcile with Natsu...introduce him to Lulu and hope he accepts her, even if he had Lisanna.

But whenever she decided that soon, they would pack up and head home to Magnolia, fear pounced on her and tore her to shreds. What if they despise me for abandoning them? What if they refuse to see me or Lulu? What if Natsu tries to get back at me and takes Lulu?

An unnecessary amount of 'what if' questions that she would decide were best left unanswered. Even if she drank up every new story of the pyromaniac Salamander crushing an enemy or fearsome war goddess Titania wiping out an entire guild of bandits.

Or of the beautiful water mage Juvia replenishing a dying ecosystems water supply?

...Of Iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel somehow stopping a runaway train with just his hands?

Lucy would still rather just imagine their happiness of her imaginary return than face the chance of rebuke. "Lucy," a familiar voice woke her from her thoughts and she turned to see Loke leaning against the wall. He had not changed, really, aside from wearing his wedding band indefinitely (like a good married lion).

"You're back early...I guess the job is done...?" Loke smirked, pushing his glasses back.

"Of course...I don't understand why you went after such small fries, though. They didn't know anything?" Lucy smiled.

"Did you do what I asked?" The lion spirit simply pointed and Lucy glanced up to see a trio of men, suspended from a decaying tree in three unnaturally perfect ballet positions. "They aren't..."

"Of course they aren't. We are Fairy Tail Mages, after all. They'll just have a lot of broken bones and...probably nightmares for the rest of their natural born lives. But seriously, they were so low down the ladder that they didn't even know Lulu was kidnapped." Lucy nodded.

"I know...which makes them the perfect example. No one cares enough to try and get back at us for it because those three are not worth spit. But, this will send out a message. One that might just scare them enough for me to smell them." Lucy got up and brushed off her cloak, "let's go. We have a train to catch."

* * *

><p>If Lulu had ever experienced a time where she questioned all of Fairy Tail's sanity, this was definitely it. Currently, she was in the more rockier, desert region near Magnolia, hiding underneath a kind of rocky cave. And she hid from Gajeel and Natsu, whom had been blasting her with multiple attacks in an attempt to train her to defend herself. Evangeline fared just fine, battling it out with the two senior dragon slayers with attacks of her own.<p>

Lulu had run for the hills as soon as it started.

She never had considered fighting to have such a hold on the guild, fights breaking out frequently. She had considered asking the Master why, but Natsu had said he was off meeting the other guild masters. Wendy had told her that it was best if she learned a few moves, so she could defend herself from enemy guilds. Levy even offered to help her train in a more, calm manner.

Lulu just couldn't see it, though. She had never done anything to harm someone. The meer thought of cracking someone else's bone or breaking their skin made Lulu shudder.

Apparently, that kind of thought was foreign to the Fairy Tail Guild, even bookworm Levy.

Already, Erza had drilled fifteen different ways of how to kick a person's ribs into her head.

"Gotcha!" Lulu shrieked when she saw the onslaught of fire headed her way and sucked it in. Then she dodged the metal pillars thrown her way and took off. "Lulu, you can't just dodge all the time! Come on, throw an attack already!" Natsu was getting fed up.

Lulu had practically screamed at him that she had no clue how to fight. Even Lucy knew how to defend herself when they first met. So why avoid teaching their daughter? He glanced over at Gajeel, who was trading blows with Evangeline. It was obvious that he was only using less than half his speed and strength, AND was avoiding her face, but Evangeline was proceeding much better than Lulu.

How could he help Lulu up to that level?

"Okay, Lu. Let's try something else." At the sound of his agitation, Lulu poked her head from behind a fixture some twenty meters away. When had she even gotten there? "You can come closer. We're gonna try showing you how to punch." Lulu had tears in her eyes.

"But, Papa, I don't like fighting."

"Fighting is a part of life...even Levy can fight...kinda."

"Leave my wife out of this," Gajeel walked up, carrying a struggling Eve.

"Lemme go, Old Man!"

"Okay...now I'm gonna show you a fist. Make sure to your thumb is on the outside of your fist, between the first and second knuckles on your fingers, or it will break." He made a fist and showed her. Lulu tried to emulate, but her thumb was too low. He gently pushed it up. "Like that. Now, do what I do." As soon as Natsu said that, he thrust his fist towards Gajeel's left cheek. The Iron Dragon Slayer dodged and glowered at him. Lulu did the same to Eve, but stopped long before she came too close to ger friend's cheek.

"Slow, but we can work on speed later. You need to line yer rm up with yer shoulder," Gajeel pushee her arm up. "If someone tries to jab at yer chin from the side you're punching from, yer shoulder will block it." Gajeel thought, "now you and Eve spar. I want you to practice yer punches and reaction times." Natsu grinned.

"Then we'll break for lunch." Lulu and Eve cheered before going off a little ways and going at it. Already, Natsu could see Lulu was getting a bit better...a little. Looks like she did better with actual instruction.

"Looks like yer hope ain't lost yet," Gajeel said, leaning against a large rock. Natsu hopped on top of said rock and nodded, visibly relieved. As much as he wanted Lulu to stay with him forever, he knew she'd be gone before he knew it. The thought unsettled him.

Lulu...gone.

Going on her first mission.

Going on her first date.

Moving out.

Going on her first S-Class Mission.

He couldn't be there to hold her hand and shield her from danger. And, if he had to go off on how Seraph and Eve react to their own fathers' overprotective natures, she wouldn't let him for long.

It was a truly sobering and depressing thought, but Natsu knew better than most that kids grew up fast. Especially if their parents' are mages.

"Any clue why Bunny Girl didn't teach her to defend herself?" Natsu shook his head.

"No clue. Luce knows better than anyone that people can be dangerous."

"Maybe Lucy-san didn't plan on letting Lulu-chan out of her sight." Wendy's voice traveled from above the air and the two older dragon slayers looked up to see their female counterpart floating above them. All three Exceeds, plus Angel, were with her. She floated down and smiled, "I came to see how her training was coming along."

"Slowly. We just got over three hours of hiding and dodging."

"...Well, it won't matter in the long run. As long as she can defend herself to a point, that should be enough," Pantherlily commented. "Anyway, we came to talk to you about something. We found it in a small village about thirty miles east." Happy floated up, holding a poster. There was a picture of Lulu, wearing a checkered dress and smiling. Above it read MISSING in bold letters. Below it said:

Name: Lulu Heartifilia

Age: 9

D.O.B: 09/22/X784

Height: 5"0

Weight: 110 lbs

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Strawberry Blonde

The rest went into details of where she was last seen and to contact the local authorities with any information. Natsu's face paled. He read it over and over before gulping. He looked over at his daughter, blissfully unaware of how hard her mother was searching. Carla cleared her throat, "listen. As a parent, I understand how ecstatic you are to see your daughter. However, imagine how frantic Lucy must be right now. I'm a mother and I cannot imagine how much pain she must be in. She has to be worried sick."

Natsu nodded, his hands shaking. He felt like a jerk. All this time he had been focused on proving he was a good father, he didn't even think of how worried Lucy must be. He loved Lucy. How could he forget this?

"Natsu..." He looked at Happy, "I think we should let Lucy know where she is. This wasn't the only thing we found out." He stared at them. Wendy decided to say it.

"...There was a...report of three bandits bring suspended from a tree...in ballet positions...their legs and arms were broken."

"What's that got to do with Bunny Girl and the half pint?" Apparently Lulu is now Half Pint.

"People have been saying it's a warning. Lucy-san is looking for the kidnappers." So it was possible that Lucy did that? Or maybe her spirits? Well, you can only get stronger over the years, really. Natsu looked back at Lulu, who was now resting with Eve, laughing at some silly joke.

But what if Lucy didn't want to be with him anymore? What if she took Lulu and disappeared again? Natsu was sure he would die from the heartbreak.

The others watched him, awaiting an answer. They knew it was the right thing to do, telling Lucy. But they were conflicted. If Natsu was rejected and Lulu taken, could they all handle that pain? He finally said, in a strained voice, "okay...let's do it..."


	10. Crashed

Natsu sat at the guild, staring nervously at the bowl of Dragon Fire Chili, a creation Mira made with him in mind, his thoughts not on food for once. Again, the others had sensed his less than stellar mood and had given him a wide berth of space. Even Lulu, who had no experience in Natsu's true temper, had avoided her father by following Mirajane about the guild, talking to the Take Over Mage animatedly.

The day before, they had sent a message via lacrima to the nearest knight station, revealing that Lulu had escaped her captors and was in Magnolia, residing with Fairy Tail. As expected, a couple of knights came and interrogated Natsu, Levy, Gajeel, and everyone else. The process took hours before they finally spoke to Lulu, who gave vague answers to who her kidnappers were. She had, however, dispelled any notion that Fairy Tail had anything to do with it, stating that she had overheard the criminals say something about a bidding of some sort.

Lulu had just escaped being sold.

Sold because she's a ballet prodigy.

Natsu felt sick, remembering her nightmare about monsters. Well, she was not wrong.

After the interrogation and the process of taking statements from different mages, giving solid alibis for the night Lulu went missing, they had tried to take Lulu into their custody as a "precaution". Natsu nearly burnt down Magnolia to ash.

Plus Lulu had a near fit and wouldn't release her hold on Natsu's pants, so they left her alone.

But, today was different. Today, they had gotten word that Lucy would be arriving in Magnolia soon. The knights didn't know if she'd come by train, carriage, or foot...but she was coming. Natsu hadn't even contemplated picking up a spoon for his chili afterwards.

The whole guild was excited and many proposed going out to stake out the tracks or roads to see if they could meet up with her, but Natsu wouldn't. He couldn't...

He was scared.

Lucy and Natsu had experienced amazing chemistry from the moment he stumbled into that circle of adoring girls around that fake Salamander. Even before she introduced herself to the guild, Mira knew Lucy would have Natsu wrapped around her pinkie finger. And Natsu felt nothing but need for Lucy drive him to search her out.

He could honestly say he loved Lucy.

But, what if she had stopped feeling the same? What if she had found someone else? Natsu knew she could easily stomp his heart to dust and he'd still love her like she was Aphrodite. Perhaps she'd leave him for someone richer, smarter, more romantic, or...Mavis forbid, Sting.

Then again, he had Yukino, so...

"Oi, Flaming Fist of Dumba**! You keep thinking so hard, your brain'll explode." As soon as that sentence was spoken, Natsu was in Gray's face.

"Wanna say that again, Frozen Douchebag?"

"What? Didn't catch that? I guess your dumb _and _deaf!"

"I am gonna knock your teeth so far down your throat, you'll be s-"

"Stop cussing around the children or else Juvia will water slice you to bits!" The two jumped and laughed nervously at the obviously irate water mage. She had been acting weird. "What's wrong with Natsu-san? Juvia is concerned, you've barely touched your food and it's Stuff Your Face Saturday." A very popular Fairy Tail holiday that happens once a month, Natsu rarely missed the chance to gorge on his favorite spicy foods for half off.

So, the fact that he is still on his first helping and has been there for an hour is unsettling. Happy, tired from chasing a troublesome toddler, floated over. "Natsu has an upset stomach from tossing and turning last night. All he kept saying was 'Lucy' and 'please, don't go' and 'I love you'."

"Gee, thanks, Traitor!" Natsu sat back in a huff, "I haven't seen her in ten years...she left because of me, what if she doesn't want to see me? Or be with me? I just found Lulu, I can't lose her." Juvia smiled and pat his shoulder, knowing what it felt like to wonder if the one you loved cared. After all, it took a year and a half for Gray to admit to loving her and then nine years for him to finally man up and propose. She would have prefered not having her son before marriage, but better late than never.

"Natsu-san has done everything in his power to find Lucy-san. You are just nervous because you don't know what you will do after. Juvia thinks it will be just fine."

"Hey, think about all the times Juvia got shot down...now I'd do anything she'd ask. Something tells me you won't be too disappointed," Gray? Comforting him? Last time he checked, he was not in Edolas.

"Papa! Papa!" Natsu looked down at Lulu, "can I go with Aunt Erza to get sone cake?" He smiled and rustled her head.

"Sure, but don't get too much. You'll spoil your appetite." He reached into his pocket, pulled out fifteen jewel and handed it to Erza, "and no soda. You already had three."

"Awww...okay, I'll get milk then," she gave him a quick hug and followed Erza and Seraph out. Juvia grinned.

"Natsu-san is already a natural at parenting." Gray rolled his eyes.

"I think it's more 'Lulu is a ridiculously easy kid'. I bet his next one is gonna be just like Natsu."

* * *

><p>As she rode the train along the tracks, Lucy stuck to herself. She had sent Loke home long ago, not wanting to keep him from Aries too much longer. After all, she heard that they were trying to have a baby. When the message from the knights came that Lulu was in Magnolia, Lucy was beyond relieved.<p>

And horrified to know that Lulu had found her way to Fairy Tail...and Natsu.

In a way, she blamed herself. Lucy had brushed off Lulu's questions about her father every time, not even taking the time to conduct a believable story to quell her ever growing inquiries. Of course, every child with a single parent wonders about the other one. Where were they? Who were they? Did they love them?

Of course, most children don't go missing and find their missing parent on their own. Lulu was always a precocious little girl, something Lucy had learned to be wary of over the years. Lucy looked about, taking in the familiar sights of the train, however she had always avoided the trains headed to Magnolia. She tried to avoid trains all together, but this trip had to be done quickly.

She had to get Lulu back. And...and what? If she knew Natsu, he would not let Lulu out of his sight. She'd probably be glued to his side. And if he caught sight of Lucy, he'd be like a dragon who just found his long lost treasure.

Relentless.

That sent a chill up her spine, one that was both frightening and thrilling. Lucy did something she rarely allowed. She thought about him.

She remembered how those eyes would stare down at her, as if scorching her. But his kisses and touches were gentle, loving. She remembered every night after they made love, he'd just whisper things to her...sometimes cute jokes, sometimes profound things he had to get off his chest...He would stare at her, no lights...just the moon shining down on her...tell her that she was beautiful...then he'd either fall asleep or leave after a deep kiss.

"Now leaving Onibus. Please, all who are not riding, stand behind the yellow line. The train is now leaving Onibus and is now departing for Magnolia Transit Station." Those words shook Lucy out of her thoughts and she felt her throat dry up. Soon she'd be back. Lulu would be back in her arms.

But, would Lucy be back in Natsu's?

* * *

><p>It was already late when Natsu left the guild, a cheerful Lulu in his arms. She was swinging her legs as she munched on a piece of cake. She, surprisingly, liked cherries and hated strawberries. Natsu smiled, guess Lulu was not Lucy's clone. "Papa, are we going home now?"<p>

"...Yeah, Hatchling, we are." Lulu looked at him.

"What's a hatchling?"

"A baby dragon. We call them Hatchlings, 'cause they hatch from eggs." Lulu laughed.

"Papa, you're weird! I didn't come from an egg!" He grinned, tickling her. She squealed and struggled to get away, laughing.

"No, you didn't. But you're still my Hatchling. After all, you're my baby." Lulu pouted.

"I am not a baby."

"To me, you are. And even when you're twenty-something, I'll still call you Hatchling." He laughed when she began whining about being called a baby. He took his scarf and wrapped it around her neck, it was getting chilly. "Let's get home before it gets too dark."

"Oka-" Lulu paused and turned her head. "Mommy!" Natsu froze and turned around. There stood a woman, about a foot under his towering 6''4. Her cloak was an inky black one, worn by those in mourning. The deep blue skirt she wore was long with a full length slit on both sides, accompanied by black thigh high stiletto boots. A series of thin, brown belts converged into one belt buckle that was shaped like a gold dragon and they carried different potions and daggers. They also held a set of keys and a whip. Her top was a simple tube top with a strap going across it, pockets spotted it. Probably to hold her wallet and maps. Her hair, still golden blonde, was up in a ponytail and tied back with a thin red ribbon.

Her eyes were fixed on them and filled with tears. Natsu uttered one word, "...Lucy..."


	11. Kazoku

**I had so many feels writing this, it's not even funny.**

* * *

><p>Lucy couldn't decide if she was beyond happy or absolutely terrified. On one hand, she was so relieved to see Lulu. She was well taken cared off and uninjured, wearing a pair of jean shorts, a yellow off shoulder shirt with a red dragon on it, and a black undershirt. Her hair was done up in a bow. She was grinning from ear to ear, running up to Lucy and hugging her excitedly, babbling on how much she missed her. Lucy, in return, hugged her back, sobbing about how worried she was and why didn't she immediately go to the authorities once she got away.<p>

"Well, I thought I'd be safer with Papa." And there was the other hand. She had avoided looking directly at the man up until then, but it was unavoidable now. Lucy could still feel his stare, begging silently for her to look at him. She looked up slowly and saw something she rarely did.

Natsu was crying.

Though he wasn't sobbing buckets or being his usual over the top self, one could easily see the tear trails running down his face. They stared for a long time. People walked around them, glancing at the noticeably awkward situation being had between the two adults, and minutes ticked by. Lulu looked between the two parents and huffed.

This was not going fast enough.

After a what seemed to be an eternity, Lucy walked up to him, slowly. She could feel tears coming on as well. The distance them became shorter, like her breath. Her heart pounded so hard in her chest, she knew instinctively that Natsu could hear it. Natsu then began to walk up to her. He knew he was shaking, knew he was sweating, and if his throat were any drier, it would catch fire. But, both stood there, for a long time, staring deep into the other's face. Lucy gulped and Natsu froze up. "Y...you're...angry...aren't you?" He stared at her in silence. "Why wouldn't you be? Even you would be mad at me...I mean...I ran off without a word and avoided you...the guild...my nakama...I kept your daughter from you...I barely even told her anything about you...and here I am, just when you've found her, just to...take her..." He tilted his head. "But I couldn't stay, Natsu...you don't know what it was like, begging to be seen...I loved Lisanna, but she was everywhere I used to be...in the guild, in our team...and I couldn't do anything..." Lucy began crying, "I couldn't watch her steal you too...you didn't even remember I was around...and I tried, Natsu. Why do you think I kept trying to get your attention...? I wanted you to know about Lulu, I wanted you to be a part of her life, but...but...dear Mavis, just say something...yell, scream, burn me...please..." He just stared, "please...do something...don't stand there..." She sobbed and covered her face. Then felt him pull her close.

"Tadaima...ashiteru..." Lucy froze and clutched onto his vest with a death like grip. Then began crying into his scarf. Lulu was almost forgotten as Natsu held onto Lucy, tighter than he would ever hold his nakama.

Lucy wasn't nakama after all.

She was kazoku.

_Family_.

* * *

><p>"And then, Kaito made an ice penguin on his desk and then Auntie Erza yelled at him for not paying attention and it was scary, but funny because Kaito almost peed his pants!" Lulu talked animatedly about her day as Lucy nodded, sitting as comfortably as she could with Natsu holding her so close. When Lulu wasn't looking, he would nibble on her shoulders or run the tip of his nose up the sides of her neck, sensitive spots he remembered from a while back. He hadn't let her go more than two feet from him since they had hugged in the street. Lucy stood to put the dishes in the sink and Lulu followed, chattering as she did when she got really excited. "And Aunt Levy will be so happy to see you again, Mommy, because everyone really misses you and tells me tons of funny stories about when you were there and you can go on missions with them again and-"<p>

"Whoa there, Hatchling." Natsu swung her up and smiled at her, "take it easy. Mommy's tired, after all. She spent all day on the train and needs some rest. We'll talk about the guild tomorrow." Lulu pouted but then relented.

"Okay..."

"So, how about this old dragon puts his hatchling into bed?" Lulu whined.

"But I'm not-" she yawned, "tired."

"Sure you're not. C'mon, go get ready for your bath, then it's off to bed." Lulu gave him puppy eyes.

"Please? Five more minutes?" Natsu shook his head.

"But, if you hurry up, I'll tell you about our first mission with Gray and Auntie Erza." Lulu's face brightened and she wiggled out of his grasp and ran off to the bathroom. Soon, Natsu heard the water running and looked at Lucy, who was watching quietly.

"...You're...really good with her...she absolutely adores you..." Natsu smiled at the woman in front off him. She had removed her cloak and was only wearing the skirt and top, having hung up the belt and shoulder strap. She quickly averted her eyes. "Umm...i-if you like...we can...work something out...Like...you can have her for weekends...and I can drop her off when I go on missions..." He walked up to her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing it. Lucy shrieked and nearly dropped the plate. "...I could...we could come by...every Christmas...and New Year's...and Father's Day..." She was quickly losing control from his attention to her neck. "And I could come stay...during the Spring and Summer Festivals..." Soon she was losing her voice, " I could...send you...tickets to her...re...re...ci...reci...recitals..."

"...Stay..." Lucy didn't respond.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I just...I can't..." He grabbed her chin and turned her face to look at him. She kept her eyes down, avoiding his.

"Look at me...Luce, stop being stubborn and look at me." When she did, his stare was intense. "You know what I've been doing for the last ten years? Since the first week you left?" She blinked, "I was looking...and it wasn't for Igneel either...Luce, you were gone. I searched every place I could think up and then every place I passed. Your scent...I could follow it, but...you were always gone before I could find you. Erza traveled for months looking for you, we all did. I even went abroad to see if...but you weren't..." He felt like crying all over again, "and I went for ten years...without you...the only time I felt this way was...when...when...Igneel left..."

"Please...Natsu..."

"And now that you're here...now that I can see you...smell your scent...hold you...now that you're home, you want to leave..." He was beyond his pride now, letting tears fall. "Please, Lucy...please...you're my kazoku...my family...don't leave me alone again..." Lucy stayed still.

"You have Lisanna, you do-"

"Lisanna is not you, Lucy!" She stared at him, "her scent, her smile, her voice...it's not you. And I don't want someone who isn't you...you really thought she could replace you?"

"You spent more time with her than you did me, Natsu! You blew off dates just to hang out with her!"

"God, Luce, I was eighteen! I was a real dumba**! I didn't even know...forget it, the point is I'm twenty eight now and I know I messed up, we all know that. But I always loved you, you know I do." Lucy still avoided his eyes. "...salt..."

"...What...?"

"After you left, Lisanna tried to recreate that special ramen you made me...you know the-"

"Ghost Pepper Ramen? The one where I had to wear gloves just to stir the pot...?" She smiled slightly at the memory. She had made it as a special dish for Natsu when he got depressed from not finding Igneel. He even said it burnt his tongue, a trait that he adored. They couldn't kiss for a few hours, but it still cheered him up.

"Yeah...she added way too much salt...not enough pepper...the noodles were good...but not nearly as hot as the one you made." She smiled slightly, "she can't write...and...she's so different. Her scent is buttercups...yours is strawberries and roses...she's clingy, you like space. When it rains, she likes to sit and watch video lacrimas. When it rains, you like to lay in bed with a book and drink hot chocolate...with cinnimon and pumpkin spice mixed in." She watched him, "she likes it when it's cold enough to see your breath, you like it when it's warm enough to sit outside and hang out with friends. She likes to play board games, you like to stargaze. She's afraid of spiders, you hate rats. She likes birds, you like dogs. You like kisses. She likes hugs." Natsu smiled, "Lucy, you think you were just a replacement, but you too are so different someone would have to be blind to not see it."

The two stood there for so long, staring at each other. Lucy had tears falling down her cheeks and Natsu looked like he had just gotten out of a war. "Lulu's never lived with a man before." Now Lucy felt like she was just coming up with excuses. Natsu grinned.

"Seriously? She's been on my a** about my tidiness and manners and leaving the seat up." Lucy couldn't hold it in. She laughed.

"You've never seen her throw a tantrum."

"Does trying to char grill her father count?"

"She used her magic?" He nodded.

"Then again...laughing about ballet may have not been a good idea." Lucy laughed again.

"...I...I...I'm sorry...for staying away...can we...start over...?" He stared at her before kissing her.

"We never stopped..." She leaned back in, kissing him lightly. Natsu felt light headed from happiness. He pulled her closer, hoping to memorize her through touch alone. They could do this. They could reconnect. They could reconcile. They could-

"Ano...Mommy? Papa...? I'm done with my bath..." Put their child to bed.


	12. Untouched

**Okay, someone aaked what some words meant. So here.**

**Ashiteru- A very romantic way of saying "I love you". Usually reserved for lovers.**

**Ano- Basically it's like saying "uhh" or "ehh"**

**Tadaima- "Welcome home" **

**The proper response to that is "okaeri"-"I'm home"**

* * *

><p>It was uncharacteristically warm in her bed. At first, Lucy thought it was Lulu,<p>

who had a habit of climbing into bed with her when she returned from a mission, but then Lucy subconsciously remembered that she had gone to Magnolia.

And had stayed the night.

Plus, the bed felt different, much more stiff and more like a seat.

Or a couch.

That didn't explain the supposed furnace she was sleeping next to, though. So, against her better judgement, Lucy opened her groggy eyes and came face to face with a firm, muscular, bare chest. It was definately male, as well. Inwardly, she panicked. It was an unspoken rule of hers to stay away from intimate relationships AND one night stands, to devote her time to Lulu and set a good example. So, seeing Natsu's face, sleeping soundly as he dreamt, was a relief/shock.

Memories of the night before came tumbling into her mind. Natsu and she had reconciled, kind of. Though she didn't know where she stood with him in relationships, she knew his position perfectly. Which was that he was determined to be a family with her and Lulu.

For some reason, that made her kind of happy.

Anyway, now she knew Lulu definately had a father figure. Speaking of whom, Lulu carefully rolled over, seeing as she and Natsu were on the couch with aforementioned dragonslayer keeping her crushed against him. Lulu, who had fallen dead asleep as soon as Natsu finished his story about stopping Lullaby from obliterating a town, was still dreaming while tucked into the hammock. her hair was messy and a bit of drool dripped from her mouth, but she had a sleepy little smile that made Lucy smile. A tiny sniffle came and Lulu mumbled something incoherent, but Lucy could make out the word "cookie". Lucy giggled a bit and tried to get up, but Natsu's hold was stronger than the iron Gajeel snacks on.

Sighing, Lucy tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "Keep that up, Luce, and Lulu's getting a younger sibling." Lucy blushed and turned her head to see Natsu staring at her with a groggy smile. She pouted.

"Pervert."

"With all this a** pushed up against me, how could I not be?"

"Quiet! What if Lulu heard that?"

"It's six o'clock. Lulu won't be up to at least seven." When Lucy tried to get up, he pulled her back. He was grinning, kissing her neck as she gasped and tried to get away. Her neck was extra sensitive in the morning. "Let's sleep in a bit. You still look tired." She decided to see if Natsu was still as easy to mess with and glared.

"Are you saying I have bags under my eyes, Flame Breath?" Natsu paled and shook his head excitedly, stammering about how she still looked as beautiful as ever. She smiled a bit and laid back down, "calm down. I'm kidding." Pouting, Natsu laid next to her. "You know, as soon as Lulu wakes up, she's gonna want to play with you."

"Please, she'll be fine." With that, Natsu drifted back to sleep. Then was promptly woken up by Lulu, who was hungry and could not reach the cereal.

* * *

><p>Lulu watched as both her parents made their way about the kitchen. Lucy walked liked she knew every square inch of the place, which she did. When she caught on to Lulu's questioning stare, she laughed. "The only thing your dad can make without burning down Magnolia-"<p>

"Hey!"

"-is eggs and fried rice. I spent a lot of time cooking him dinner at my old apartment and breakfast here." Lucy pouted, "of course, I had to follow him to find out where he lived. And when I did, I found out he can't clean or cook."

"I can too cook...! I can...make a good sandwich."

"Eggs and fried rice between two pieces of bread is not a sandwich." Lulu laughed as her father and mother went back and forth about Natsu's culinary expertise. Then Natsu pointed out Lucy's inability to sew and all hell broke lose. First there were mentions of Natsu cursing their daughter with motion sickness, then Lucy dooming their daughter to being a pacifist...then Lulu decided to pipe up.

"...Can you both do tongue twisters?" They stared at her before Natsu cackled.

"Sure I can! Watch! Ummmm...A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood. A big black blug blit a blig blag blear, blade the big blug blear bleed blood...danggit..." Lulu giggled as Lucy began to chuckle. "Fine, you try then, Luce."

"Ehh? Oh, alright...errr...can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie? Can you imagine a inagunary imenegerie minager minagining imagining an minangary-I give up." The other two cracked up as Lucy failed. Then looked at Lulu, who sucked in a breath.

"Draw drowsy ducks and drakes! Draw drowsy ducks and dracks! Draw drawsy drucks and draks! Drawd rowsy rucks sand rakes! Oh..." The two adults snickered as Lulu pouted.

"She can dazzle judges with high jumps and expert twists..."

"She can braid Gajeel's hair and still get away with it..."

"But she can't do tongue twisters!" They cracked up as Lulu rolled her eyes.

Later that day, Lucy watched as Lulu sifted through her father's old mission requests, staring at all the things he had been asked to do and occasionally asking questions when one REALLY peaked her interest. Natsu sat beside her, watching as well. Natsu has never been one beat around the bush, but there was so much more to lose now. Lucy had left him once without even a warning, so who was to say she wouldn't a second time. Only this time, she'd be taking Lulu with her. Then again, she left when she was four months pregnant...the only difference now was that he knew about Lulu and she had very quickly become the center of his whole world. Natsu had to look at this differently. It was a battle unlike the ones he had faced before.

Dear Mavis, he would rather face Acnologia and Zeref in a two on one battle than this.

After all, at least than he'd only die. If he lost this battle, he'd still die...but in a much more painful, tormenting way.

Lucy was no different in her own thoughts. For ten years, she had secretly dreamt of the day she'd see Natsu again. When she first left, there were many nights where she'd consider going back. Sure, she didn't have an apartment anymore, or possibly a boyfriend, but maybe...maybe she could get Natsu to pay attention. After all, she contemplated, he should have found her short letter by then...only two words.

**_Good Bye._**

That had to be enough to scare him into realizing what she had gone through. Erza would have a fit, Gray would be busy trying to track her down, Natsu would've burnt down most of Magnolia to find her. She was sure she was just being silly. She even turned the wagon around, saying she'd go back and make up with them. She got about a mile and a half towards Magnolia before she lost her nerve and continued on her way.

Perhaps, Lucy thought, her subconscious was trying to tell her to go back. That she needed to be in Magnolia and push through...but she was spineless and ran away, even though she knew she could never really leave Fairy Tail...Magnolia...or Natsu. But her fears kept her away because she knew she'd rather die as a lonely coward than die from heartbreak.

But she still dreamt that, one day, Natsu would find her. She had so many different dreams. Sometimes he'd find her in her home, in the street, or even in a tavern she was working at. He'd yell or beg or just stare at her. Sometimes, she would run, or yell, or ignore...her most embaressing ones are when she'd cry...but they all ended the same way.

With Lucy in his arms, both begging the other to not let go.

So, now that Natsu is beside her again, now that she knows he still cares..._Why can't I...talk to him? _The thought ran through her head just as Natsu wondered the same about himself. He had to think of something, Lucy was slipping through his fingers again and he could not take another period of seperation, no matter how short it was compared to their last. "...Lulu was right...about everyone missing you." She looked at him, "...if I walk into that guild, Gajeel is gonna catch your scent for sure...then Levy and everyone else is gonna stampede their way here..." She smiled softly.

"...So, you're saying I should go...to the guild?"

"Gramps should be back in a couple hours and everyone is expecting you...probably terrorizing the train because you didn't come yesterday..." She laughed humorlessly. "Plus...I...Levy had a kid..." Lucy looked at him. "Yeah, her name's Evangeline. About a month or so younger than Lulu. They're already best pals. She drives Gajeel crazy...Levy's been telling her stories about how you were this amazing Celestial mage who could open the gates of powerful entities...and how you owned Bixlow during the whole Laxus deal." Lucy giggled.

"Loke did a lot of the work."

"Nah, I say you owned him the most. Anyway, all the kids want to meet Fairy Tail's Phantom Fairy." She shook her head, smiling. Then something dawned on her.

"Kids? Plural?" He nodded.

"Jellal finally gave Erza a ring. They've got twins, Seraph and Carlos. Carlos is just like his mom while Seraph is a dainty little princess. Gray grew a pair and married Juvia about a year ago. They have an eight year old named Kaito, who is getting way too close to Lulu." Lucy snorted back a laugh. So Natsu was going to be another Gildarts.

Go figure.

"Oh, and then there's Jubilee, Andreas, and Katsuki. Jubilee and Katsuki belong to Evergreen and Elfman. Andreas is Laxus' and Mirajane's son. But they went off somewhere."

"They ran away!?"

"Luce, they stowed away and followed Gramps and Laxus. They've done this ten times already. Trust me, Mirajane and Evergreen already have a set plan of punishment this time." At that, Lucy shuddered. She did not know these children, but she prayed for their souls. "Plus, by now, Laxus will have worked them to death as a secondary punishment."

"So...Gajeel and Levy...Juvia and Gray...Erza and Jellal...Evergreen and Elfman...Laxus and Mira..."

"Oh, and Kinana and Cobra, but he only comes around once and awhile to check on her. Otherwise, he's working. They have a kid too, named Ryuuji, but he stays away from most of the other kids."

"Counting Lulu...that's nine kids! That's almost enough to start up a second generation of Fairy Tail..." Natsu nodded. "Wow...nine kids..."

"All of whom will be dying to meet you...come on, Luce...just for a bit?"

"...I still don't know, Na-"

"Did I mention that Happy and Carla had a kid too?"

* * *

><p>Of course, Lucy had to see Angel. She literally needed to see how it was possible that Carla, the Exceed who took no affection from anyone other than Wendy, had a kid with Happy. She didn't even call him Happy for the first few months they knew each other. So, that was how Natsu and Lulu got her to get dressed and go to the guild the next day.<p>

Though, now that she stood there, staring at the too familiar building where she spent many of her happiest and most trying days, Lucy began to have second thoughts. For no reason at all, she was overcome with a sense of fear and literally had to choke down air. By the way she was sure she was sweating, she was sure that either Gajeel or Wendy could smell her. Maybe if she threw some matches the other way, she'd distract Natsu long enough to escape.

No chance, Natau had begun dragging her into the guild with Lulu skipping alongside. "I don't think I can do this," she blurted out. Natsu looked back and gave her a smile.

"Luce, it's your guild. Not a cave full of Vulcans. You'll be fine."

"Yeah, Mommy, no monsters in there! It's just Fairy Tail."

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Her words fell on deaf ears as Natsu took her inside. Lulu belted out with her normal 'morning' and, as Mira turned to greet the young girl and her fire gobbling father, she dropped the glass she was cleaning. This caused Laxus, who was drinking something, to glance at his wufe, then the door, and sit out his drink.

On to Cana.

Cana snarled at him drunkenly, then looked and almost dropped her alcohol again.

Soon, quiet overtook the guild as the older members stared in shock at their long lost nakama, who stood awkwardly next to Natsu. Lulu looked between her parents and everyone else and sighed. What was with adults and long silences? "...Uhhhhhh...who's the blonde lady?" Apparently, Eva shared Lulu's thoughts about akward, prolonged silences. That caused everyone to burst into excitement, as Fairy Tail mages do.

"LUUUUUUCY!" They all jumped towards her, tears of happiness abound, eager to hug her. Natsu stopped that by blasting them with flames.

"STOP BEING SUCH ANIMALS!" Lucy smiled, though it was obvious to the observer that she was trying her hardest to not crack. After all, she had been gone for ten years.

"Hi, everyone...Okaeri..." Levy was firat up, after shielding herself from Natsu's flames. She squealed and hugged Lucy, who happily returned the hug. Next to Natsu, Levy was one of the people she missed the most.

"Lu-chan!"

"Levy-chan! I can't believe you changes so much!"

"I changed? Lu-chan, you changed so much more! That outfit looks great on you. Oh screw your outfit, I can't believe you're here! I was starting to think I'd never see you again!" The script mage was torn between crying and squealing. Eva finally got her attention by tugging on her shirt. "Oh, right! Lucy, this is my daughter, Evangeline. Eva, this is your Aunt Lucy. She's the one we're always looking for." Lucy stared. It was incredibly apparent who her parents were. With Levy's face and physic and Gajeel's hair/eye color combination, Eva would be a knock out. Eva stared.

"No way, you're the Phantom Fairy!?" That made every kid in the vicinity come running through the adults to huddle around Lucy. As the smaller versions of Fairy Tail mages surrounded her with excited chattering, Lucy felt her unease slip away little by little. A small boy who looked like a cross between Jellal and Erza in the most beautiful way stood proudly next to his sister, whom hid a bit behind him. Eva squealed as she pulled on Lucy's arm, "ohmigish, my mom told me you could walk into a room and all the boys would stare at you."

"Not always something to be proud of," Lucy sighed. The boy spoke and Lucy saw what Natsu meant by Erza's son being just like her. He had the same air of regality and authority as his mother.

"My mother speaks fondly of you, I hope to work with you as mother did." She grinned.

"You must be Carlos. You remind me a lot of your mom. And something tells me you're a Requip Mage." By the way he glowed under those words, Lucy could guess who he idolized. "And you must be Seraph, right?" The little girl smiled shyly before slowly steppibg forward.

"Anooo...it's a pleasure to meet you." Seraph looked exactly like Erza, if Erza was a wilting daisy type girl. She wore a white dress with black shoes and had her hair braided back. Lucy grinned and knelt down.

"You look like a real sweetheart." Natsu looked back at her, seeing her sit down with Levy and the kids. With a circle of kids surrounding her, she looked much more radiant than before. As more and more people trickled over, he settled for protecting her by sitting beside her.

Mirajane came over happily and gave Lucy a squeeze so tight, she was sure her ribs snapped. "I'm so happy you're back. It hasn't been the same since you left." Lucy hugged her back. "How have you been?"

"Great. And you look amazing! I heard you and Laxus were-"

"Yeah, we got married two years after you left. A nice, big ceremony, I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, I have to make sure Andreas is cleaning out the kegs like he's supposed too!" The last sentence was said loud enough for a six-year-old with Mira's eyes and Laxus's elrlectric blonde hair to pop his head out of the store room and hold up a dirty rag with a bored look on his face. "That's my good boy."

"Oh, that doesn't seem-"

"After that, he has to scrub the guild floors, wash out the training room, and clip Master Makarov's toenails."

"Aaand there it is." Natsu's voice cackled as he heard Andreas audibly wretch. "Anyway, Mira, where's Ice Princess and Erza?"

"Erza dragged Grey out to discuss a mission they'll be going on soon. Something about a-I kid you not-a room full of oranges, shoelaces, and a video lacrima about the history of the bandersnatch." Lucy looked up to see Jellal, whom she hugged happily.

"It's great to see you!" With all the cheerful/tearful/lecture filled reunions, Lucy realky didn't even nitice how Natsu stared happily at her.

Or how Lulu was plotting with Mirajane in the corner. Something about a baby brother.


End file.
